


Seeing what happens when the world is torn apart

by NaraMerald



Series: Twisted Kingdom [1]
Category: Black Jewels - Anne Bishop, Donnie Darko (2001)
Genre: Insanity, Mentioned violence, Twisted Kingdom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-28
Updated: 2016-05-28
Packaged: 2018-07-10 17:12:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6997366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NaraMerald/pseuds/NaraMerald
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wake up Tersa. Wake up. 1095 days. 1 hour. 52 minutes. 45 seconds. That is when your world will end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seeing what happens when the world is torn apart

**Author's Note:**

> Repost from FF.net.

**1095:1:52:45**

_Wake up Tersa._

_Wake up_

The Black Widow stirred, stood up.

_I've been watching you._

Black tangled hair stood up in all directions. The figure that walked downstairs in the house did not care.

_Come closer._

Barefoot, in tattered clothes and looking as if she hadn't eaten in weeks, the Black Widow walked in the direction of the voice.

_1095 days. 1 hour. 52 minutes. 45 seconds._

She waited.

_That is when your world will end._

She said nothing. She never questioned the visions that took her.

Sensing, for the moment at least, the need to cling to sanity, she walked back to the house she was staying in for the moment. Something, a 6th sense made her go back quietly. Her house was on fire.

"Crazy old bitch won't have survived that. It will serve her right for telling my Queen that lie about her days running out. Prediction my arse." A Warlord said.

She lifted a trembling hand, studied it in fascination and clung desperately to sanity, recognising she had little time left.

"Let's go. She's dead. There's no need for us to be here."

And they left, Tersa falling into the abyss and plunging into the Twisted Kingdom.

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**194:7:34:28**

Daemon felt her presence. But when he saw her, he couldn't suppress the flash of regret. She was so thin again, her black hair wild as ever.

"Tersa?" He heard the plea in his voice and ruthlessly controlled his emotions so as not to upset her.

Barefoot again. And couldn't she wear the new clothes, the warm clothes he'd left in the house he bought for her?

Then he noticed it.

Carved into her arm.

1095:1:52:45

What did the numbers mean?

"Tersa?" he said gently. She looked up.

"Tersa your arm? What happened?"

She looked confused for a moment, and he felt guilt that he had caused it.

Then she looked up and smiled. "Ribbon?"

In her hand was a bright red ribbon. Who knew what it represented to her? Saying nothing, he took it. She wandered away from him, humming.

The ring of obedience sent a bolt of pain through him. Hissing angrily, he turned and stalked away… back to the bitch who would have plenty of time to regret tangling with the sadist.

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**987:4:31:2**

 

She saw a Tangled web. Saw a Province Queen look at it. Start screaming, screaming in rage, in fear.

_Wake up Tersa._

The Black Widow sat up. Got up. Ignored the dirt from the ground she had been sleeping on. Began to weave. Finished, she stepped back and laughed. She had been right, the Province Queen's days were running out. The web told of her death.

As she followed the careful paths the Twisted Kingdom showed her to avoid the traps set by the Master of the Guard, she heard the screaming begin. She left, minus one tangled web.

She saw paths, so many paths, some out of the Twisted Kingdom. One path Tersa knew well. Suddenly a ball of light floated past her. She reached out, touched it. Saw beyond it.

Rabbit. It echoed. Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit…

This craft she did not know.

He touched it. It rippled.

_Anything is possible Tersa._

Why?

Tersa never said it.

_Do you believe in time travel?._

 

Suddenly she was staring into Surreal's face.

 

"Tersa? I said did you want more soup?"

 

_I can show you the way._

 

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**658:1:36:19**

Surreal. It was surreal wasn't it? But surreal was a little girl? Wasn't she? Was she?

It was there… the craft, the strange craft, stretching ahead of Surreal as she went to the fridge to get a drink. Future craft. Time Craft.

Another point of the craft stretched downwards and then out- seeming to burst. Tersa didn't jump when surreal dropped the cup and it shattered.

He was there again. With that craft/shield. Tersa summoned the little ability, the few spells she could still use without the jewels, directing it at the shield. They rippled it. Tersa watched fascinated.

One ripple looked like someone she knew.

That warlord who took blood children from the poor and weak. He screamed in rage as Surreal ruthlessly crushed his barriers and drove her dagger into his chest.

Trancelike, Tersa walked into the kitchen. Minutes later Surreal and Tersa were walking along to the markets. The warlord was in a sidestreet, an innkeeper pleading, begging him not to take the child.

Surreal swung round, Gray Jewel flashing.

"Stay here Tersa!"

And Tersa heard him scream.

Why do you wear the rabbit suit?

Again Tersa never voiced it. Yet he heard her.

_Why do you wear the woman suit?._

 

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**303:1:8:4**

"What is it Tersa? What's Wrong! What's going to happen?" cried Surreal pacing.

Daemon Sadi looked concerned and walked over to shush Surreal, worried they would upset Tersa further.

Soon. Soon. Soon.

"I'm sorry Daemon! I haven't seen her in months! Last time I saw her she walked out in the middle of the night! I don't know where she is!" cried Surreal.

_Soon it will be time for them to die. Soon your world will end._

Tersa said nothing.

_They will each get what they gave._

Tersa heard the truth in his words. 

A new figure in the mist.

 

_Who are you?_

_I am what I am._

_You are… more than that._

The blonde girl smiled. Tersa smiled.

_You can call me Jaenelle._

There was no time here. None at all. Except the brilliant time craft travelling along the paths she knew. Jaenelle didn't seem to see them. But that was ok.

And Tersa was shown more paths. All paths. The Twisted Kingdom was paths everywhere. Paths to the other-world. Paths to Sanity. Paths to Death, guilt, happiness. Paths deeper into the Kingdom. Paths to the one who dwelt at it's centre.

And paths to the abyss.

 

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**0:0:0:1**

_Tersa._

Finally Tersa spoke to him.

_What about you? Who are you? Where are you going?_ Tersa struggled to understand.

_I'm going home._

She watched him take all the silvery clear time crafts except one. That one attached itself to her and stretched out along a path she had never before trodden. His paths went to the very core of the Twisted Kingdom. And then she knew who he was.

_Tersa… it is time to go._

She knew that voice.

She watched her silvery timeline snake to meet it.

Jaenelle had changed.

She still didn't notice the craft snake out in front of them. Jaenelle was so powerful. Yet even she had not met who dwelt in the core.

She followed the silver and she followed Jaenelle, out, out into the light. 

Into sanity.


End file.
